Abstract: Disclosed is an All Sky Imager which uses a camera capable of capturing color images of cloud cover that is housed in an environmentally protected enclosure to protect it from weather elements. To obtain a good hemispherical view of the sky, the fish-eye lens is attached to the camera to provide a 360-degree, horizon-to-horizon view. The All Sky Imager is mounted on a solar tracker so that the image of the sun is blocked by one of the solar tracker's obscuration balls. This in effect places a shadow over the lens of the camera allowing the color capture of sky images, particularly cloud cover, without the danger of damaging the camera. As the earth rotates, the obscuration ball of the solar tracker keeps the camera obscured from the sun. This provides continuous images of sky cloud cover from sunrise to sunset. The invention also includes an embodiment using an infrared camera that allows for nighttime cloud imaging.

Abstract: A container capping apparatus having a generally vertical tubular spindle carrying a cap holding chuck assembly is rotatable about its axis to apply a screw cap to a container with predetermined force. A control rod is vertically movable within the spindle against an actuator spring to release the applied cap from the chuck. An axle carried by the control rod projects through vertically elongated slots in opposite sides of the spindle, and is received in a control collar slidable on the spindle. A cam follower is carried by a yoke vertically slidable on the spindle and an external adjusting nut is carried by the yoke for movement therewith in operative engagement with the collar. The vertical position of the nut relative to the yoke is selectively adjustable, thereby to adjust the position of the control rod relative to the cam follower.

Abstract: A capping machine turret has a number of circumferentially spaced screw-cap applying spindles with a cap engaging chuck at the lower end of each spindle. Each screw cap applying spindle of the capping machine is rotated by means which frictionally applies an accurately predetermined torque to the spindle and therefore to the cap engaging chuck at the lower end of the spindle. This is accomplished by providing a pair of pinions which are rotatably mounted on each spindle and are continuously rotated by drive means associated with the turret generally. Drive washers are provided at the outer radial faces of the two pinions and between the pinions and these drive washers have internal spline formations which interfit with external spline formations on the spindle.